Editor’s Note: This post is part my series on Las Vegas hikes. For more posts on all things Las Vegas, click here.
On your way to, or in my case, from the Bristlecone Trail, you’ll have the opportunity to check out one of the most popular stops in the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area – the Desert View Overlook.
Part nature hike, part scenic walk, part history lesson, the Desert View Overlook has something for everybody.
Getting There:
The Desert View Overlook is located on Highway 158 (between Highway 156 and 157 in the Mt. Charleston wilderness area). Just like the Bristlecone Trail (located about 10 minutes away), the Desert View Overlook is about 45 minutes from Las Vegas, NV.
Visiting The Desert View Overlook, Spring Mountains NRA
There is a large parking lot at the Desert View Overlook trailhead with plenty of parking and bathrooms. At the trailhead, you’ll find the information kiosk below.
Information kiosk
Map of the Spring Mountains National Recreation Area & Red Rock Canyon National Conservation Area
The Scenic Walk To The Desert View Overlook
The information states the trail is 3/4 mile round-trip and wheelchair accessible. The entire path is paved and is an easy hike/walk, although there is little shade.
Nature walk through the beautiful desert landscape at sunset
Clouds over the vast desert
View from the Desert View Overlook at sunset
A Notable Place In History
Perhaps the most notable thing about the Desert View Overlook is the role it once played in American History. Once the literal window to the testing of American atomic bombs for the U.S military from 1951 to 1963, it was also a popular spot for Las Vegas tourists to view the mushroom clouds over the desert.
Panels explain the cultural, geological, and military significances of Desert View Overlook
This site is not that far from the infamous Area 51
Casinos used to bus tourists in for picnics during the testing of the Atomic Bombs (it must have been quite the show)
Final Thoughts: Visiting The Desert View Overlook, Spring Mountains NRA
If you are visiting the Spring Mountains NRA, or if you just need a some fresh air and a morning away from the Las Vegas strip, the Desert View Overlook is a quick and easy must-do. The Spring Mountains NRA has many trails and much to see but this is easily one of the most popular, and for good reason.
You’ll learn some quick facts about the uniqueness of the Spring Mountains as a “sky island”, and its historical significance to the native peoples. You’ll also see the spot where the United States conducted atomic bomb testing – and how the desert and the land has slowly recovered to form a surprisingly beautiful ecosystem 45 minutes from the Vegas strip.
Cheers!
